officers - The Black Vault

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By The Associated Press
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Federal prosecutors plan to · • . Unidentified. sourcesc1ose To!
i try officers accused in the vid- ' 1 investigation told KCBS I
eotaped beating of Rodney i : federal prosecutors will try to
1~.• King on charges the officers vi- I I show that the four officers vio-
1 olated his civil rights under col- i , lated LAPD policy on the use
or of authority, it was reported. • of force.
A U.S. Department of Justice ~ : But police brutality 'experts
: official revealed that criminal ;·. I believe prosecutors can't prove
charges would be filed against : their · case on those gDounds,
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some of the officers, probably reported.
immediately after I,.abor Day "The focus of the case should
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on Sept. 7, according to KCBS- , i be on the force used. Whether
f TV. . i ~or not it was or was not ~thin
r The information was given to : the policy of the LAPD is sim-
' retired Los Angeles police Capt. r , ply irrelevant and it distracts
i Bob Michael, who was inter- j ' from the brutality itself," said
viewed on the air.
[' ;ittorney Steve Y agman, who
The. former layv enforcement I 1 speci~izes in law enforcement
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officer said the Justice Depart- cases.
ment was "looking at the con-i , KCBS reported that at least
spiracy on the part of the offi- ' ·, one expert who believed the
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cers to, under the color of four officers followed LAPD
authority, depriv~ the indiVidu- i ·practices declined to testify for
al of his civil rights."
i federal prosecutors.
A jury in the Ventura County i ' • h
city of Simi valley acquitted · Testimony soug t
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Sgt. Stacey Koon and· Officers I Federal authorities asked re-
Laurence Powell, Theodore Bri- 1 tired Capt. Michael for a list of
seno and Timothy Wind of i experts who might aid proseeucriminal
charges in the March 1 tion, despite the fact Michael
3, 1991 beating. The beating :was a defense witness in the
, was videotaped and later broad- 1 King trial.
1 cast nationally. ~
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. Federal prosecutors have noofficers
are white apd : tified the four officers that they
1 King is black. , ·1' targets of a criminal investi- I
i • ! gation. The officers have been
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Set off riots :invited to testify before the
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I The April 29 acquittals set 1
1grand jury, the station reported.
i. off three days of rioting in the ! I Powell has declined and the
Los Angeles area. Fifty-two / [~ther officers will also decline,
people died during the civil "Qn- , ~ccording to KCBS. :
rest; Powell faces retrial in Oc- I - ~ ~ · ~ ---
' tober on one assault charge that f
l_!he jury could not resolve.
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•(Indicate~. 1\Mle of
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THE OUTLOOK
SANTA MONICA, CA
~:FRI., 7-24-92
Edition: ARE A
PG. A3
U.S. WILL TRY KING
OFFICERS
~:REPORT:
Chneter:
til
Classification:
Submitting Office:
LOS ANGELES
FBI -
LOS ANGELES